The Master was led to the next room by the secretary of the Go
Association. Closing the door, he noted down his opening play, White 2, on
the chart, which he put in an envelope. A sealed play is invalid if anyone
besides the player himself sees it.
“We don’t seem to have any water,” he said, back at the board. Wetting
two fingers with his tongue, he sealed the envelope and signed his name
across the seal. Otaké signed below. The envelope was put in a larger
envelope, to which one of the managers affixed his seal, and which was
then locked in the safe of the Kōyōkan.
The opening ceremonies were over.
Wishing to have pictures taken with which to introduce the match
abroad, Kimura Ihei had the players go back to their places. The assembly
relaxed, and the venerable gentlemen of the Seventh Rank gathered to
admire the board and the stones. There were many estimates as to the
thickness of the white stones, perhaps a quarter of an inch, perhaps a fifth.
